Combined seat, table, and playpen



y 6, 1952 c.- R. LEITNER 2,595,532

COMBINED SEAT, TABLE, AND PLAYPEN Filed Oct. 12,. 1948 m 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Charles R. Leirner INVENTOR.

#3 a BY @4056? y 6, 1952 c.- R. LEITNER 2,595,532

COMBINED SEAT, TABLE, AND PLAYPEN Filed Oct. 12, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Charles R. Leirner JNVEN TOR.

G. R. LEITNER May 6, 1952 COMBINED SEAT, TABLE, AND PLAYPEN' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 12, 1948 INVENTOR.

Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED {STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED SEAT, TABLE, AND PLAYPEN Charles R. Leitner, Louisville, Ky.

Application October 12, 1948, Serial No. 54,027

' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in childrens furniture, and the principal object of the invention is to provide an article of the character herein described which may be used selectively as a table and seat and as a crib or play pen.

This object is achieved by the provision of a convertible article of furniture including a platform equipped with side sections constituting what may be called a perimetric enclosure, together with a collapsible seat unit disposed in an opening in the platform, matters being so arranged that the platform together with the side sections is usable as a crib or play pen, and when inverted, the seat unit may be extended into the enclosure or pen in such manner that the surrounding platform functions as a table top.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for collapsing the entire article of furniture so that it may be conveniently transported or stored when it is not in use.

Another feature of the invention lies in the collapsible and adjustable construction of the seat unit itself.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, pleasing appearance, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use as a seat and table;

Figure 2 is a further perspective view thereof, but illustrating the invention in use as a play pen or crib;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the invention as appearing in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the invention as appearing in Figure 2 but illustrating the same in its folded or collapsed position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the arrangement of the side sections of the crib, and

Figure 6 is a dross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 66 in Figure 5.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of anarticle of childrens furniture which may be designated generally by the reference character It], the same embodying in its construction a platform I2 and a plurality of crib side sections [4, l6, I8 and 2B.

These side sections are hingedly connected as at 22 to the respective side pieces 24, 26, 28 and 3! of the platform l2, and it will be noted that these side pieces are of different height so as to facilitate folding of the sections l4, l6, I8 and 20 in superimposed relation one upon another and upon the platform l2, as will be clearly apparent from Figure 4.

The side sections [4, I6, etc. consist of horizontal rails and vertical bars commonly employed in crib construction, these rails and bars being generally represented for illustrative purposes by the respective reference characters 32, 34 in Figures 5 and 6.

Means are provided for preventing the side sections I l, I6, etc. from collapsing, these means including suitable wing bolts 36 each of which is provided at one corner of the perimetric enclosure constituted by the erected side sections and engaging a screw threaded aperture formed in a U-shaped reinforcement 38. This arrangement is best illustrated in the accompanying Figures 5 and 6, and it should, of course, be understood that in each corner of the enclosure the bolt 35 is freely rotatable in a bore 40 formed in one of the rails 32, while the reinforcement 38 is secured to the end portion of the adjacent and abutting rail, as will be clearly apparent. This last mentioned rail may be formed with a blind recess 42 to freely receive an end portion of the bolt 36, and it will be observed that by simply engaging the bolt 36 with the screw threaded aperture in the reinforcement 38, the crib side sections will be firmly retained in their erected positions, but may be expeditiously collapsed by simply disengaging the wing bolts when the invention is to be stored or transported.

The aforementioned platform [2 includes in its construction spaced walls which, for purposes of convenient identification, will hereinafter be referred to as the upper wall 44 and the lower wall 46, as used in Figures 2 and 4. It may be explained at this point that when the invention is inverted, these upper and lower walls become reversed as shown in Figures 1 and 3, but their identification remains the same.

In any event, the walls 44, 46 of the platform 12 are secured together by the aforementioned side pieces 24, 26, 28 and 30, and it will be noted that the walls 44, 46 are formed with aligned openings which define whatmay be referred to as a recess 48 in the platform l2. The edges of this recess are equipped with marginal members 55 secured to the walls 44, 46 (see Figures 3 and 4) and a collapsible seat unit designated generally by the reference character 52 is disposed in the recess 48, as will be presently described.

The seat unit 52 includes in its construction a seat panel 54 provided at opposite sides thereof with downturned flanges 56, and a set of foldable straps 58 are employed for connecting the flanges 56 to a pair of opposed members 50 in the recess 48 as is best shown in Figure 3. The straps 58 are pivotally connected together and are pivotally attached to the members as well as to the flanges 56, permitting the seat panel 54 to be retracted into the recess 48 when the straps 58 are buckled, as will be clearly apparent.

A back rest panel 60 is separably attached to the seat panel 54 by being equipped with arcuate detents 52 which are receivable in suitable slots or openings with which the panel 54 is formed, the back rest panel 60 extending upwardly from the panel 54 when the device is in the position shown in Figure 3, and an upper portion of the back rest panel being supportably engaged by an edge of the recess 48 in the platform I2.

The seat unit 52 also includes a foot rest 64 which is adjustably and collapsibly attached by a suitable pin or pins-66 to a pair of hinged straps 68 provided on the flanges 56 of the seat panel 54. It is to be noted that the pins 66 of the foot rest 54 adjustably engage longitudinally extending slots 19 formed in the straps 68, the slots 79 being, in turn, equipped with a set of notches or bays 12 so that the distance of the foot rest 64 from the seat panel 54 may be increased or decreased as desired (see Figure 3). A portion ?4 of the foot rest 64 is adapted -to abut the straps 58 so that the foot rest is retained in a substantially horizontal position, but it should be understood that the foot rest may be folded or collapsed by being swung upwardly toward the straps 68, as indicated at 16 in Figure 3. The straps 68, together with the foot rest 64, may in turn be folded or collapsed by being swung in the direction of the arrow 18 under the seat panel 54, but means are provided for releasably retaining the straps 58 in their downwardly extending position, these means consisting of a pair of rods 83 which are pivotally attached at one end to the straps 68, while their remaining end portions are angulated as at 82 and 'slidably engage bayonet" slots 84 formed in the flanges 55. When the portions 82 of the rods 80 are seated in the bay portion of the slots 84, the foot rest supporting straps 68 are downwardly extended, but collapsing thereof is facilitated by simply disengaging the portions '82 of the rods 80 from the bays of the slots 84 and sliding the rods in the slots, as will be clearly understood.

When the invention is placed in use, it may be set up as shown in the accompanying Figure :2, wherein the side sections l4, 16, etc. extend upwardly from the platform 12 and constitute a perimetric enclosure, substantially as shown. In this position, the invention may be used in the nature of a crib or play pen, the seat unit 52 being collapsed and fully accommodated 'by the recess 48 in the platform I2. .In this connection it may be explained that the backrest panel 60 is of such'a size as to fit snugly into the recess or opening in the top wall 44, thus constituting a continuation 'of the platform and presenting an unbroken surface over the seat unit. The detents 62 of the back rest panel 60 are accommodated by suitable openings 96 formed in one of the recess bordering members 50 (see Figure 4) and as is best shown in Figure 2, the platform 12, more particularly, the top wall 44 of the platform constitutes a floor of the perimetric enclosure defined by the side sections I4, l6, l8, etc. If desired, a plurality of casters 86 may be provided on the bottom wall 46 of the platform [2, so that the crib or play pen may be easily moved from one location to another.

When the invention is not in use, it may be conveniently stored by simply folding the side sections I4, [6, etc., one upon another and upon the platform I2, as shown in Figure 4.

When the invention is to be used as a seat and table, it may be simply inverted to a position shown in Figures 1 and 3, in which position the seat unit 52 may be extended into the enclosure defined by the side sections l4, l6, etc., and the back panel 60 may be applied to theseat panel 54 in the manner already described. In this comiection it may be explained that the application of the panel fill to the panel 54 as well as removal of the panel 60 is effected after the seat panel '54 is swung forwardly as at 88 on the straps 58, thus permitting the detents 62 of the panel 65 to be engaged with the slots in the panel 54. When the seat panel 54 is in its normal position under the recess 48, the arcuate detents 62 will not permit the panel 60 to be withdrawn upwardly by the occupant of the seat.

Additional casters 90 may be provided on the side sections i4, I5, etc., so as to facilitate movement of the article along the floor when erected as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and finally, 'it will be noted that portions of the platform wall 46 surrounding the recess 48 will function as an effective table top for use by the occupant of the seat unit 52.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will readily be apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combina tion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope "of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

An article of furniture comprising a platform having spaced upper and lower walls and adapted to be reversed from an initial to an inverted position, a plurality of side sections fold'ably .attached to said platform and coacting together to provide a perimetric enclosure, said walls having aligned openings therethrough, the portions of said wall about said opening in said upper wall forming a table top, said side sections being foldable on one another and on said platform in superimposed relation, means for selectively locking said side sections against collapsing, a collapsible seat unit including a seat panel and a back rest panel removably attached to said seat panel, foldable straps attaching -said seat panel between said upper and lower walls, said seat panel being removable between said :upper and lower walls upon collapsing of said seat .unit, said back rest panel being adapted upon separation from said seat panel 30 constitute; m0-

tinuation of said upper wall, said seat panel being received in between said upper and lower walls in order that said side sections could be selectively folded on said lower wall.

CHARLES R. LEITNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Tagland Nov. 26, 1929 Nicoll July 1, 1930 Hansburg June 6, 1939 Sedita. Oct. 9, 1945 Brandwen Apr. 2, 1946 Anderson Apr. 5, 1949 Puls et a1. Sept. 27, 1949 Dietz Oct. 18, 1949 

